The only one of its kind on record, the spontaneous mating of a Robusta and an Arabica plant bore Timor Hybrid on (you guessed it) the East Asian island of Timor. Since its appearance in the 1940s, it has become the parent plant for many modern man-made hybrids, as coffee botanists, scientists, and producers seek strains that are hardy, disease resistant, and productive.

Timor Hybrid (which is often called Tim Tim when grown in Latin America) displays the robustness of Robusta with some of the mellowing flavor characteristics of Arabica coffee. The plant's thick, sturdy trunk and droopy branches allow for nutrients to disperse efficiently, encouraging high cherry yields (which farmers naturally appreciate).

The variety's earthy, herbaceous flavor and lingering aftertaste are some of what comprise the most prominent flavors in many types of Indonesian coffees, and is the backbone of derivate types like Catimor and Sarchimor.

While it's unusual to see Timor Hybrid advertised as a main varietal component on a coffee bag, Catimor does show up, usually on bags of coffees sourced from Indonesia. The marriage of Timor Hybrid with Caturra (a dwarf Bourbon variety), Catimore tends to have a bit of a cherry-like sparkle on top of the mushroomy savory qualities that epitomize the flavors of Sumatra. You can taste Catimore (in a blend with other varieties) in Stumptown Coffee Roasters' Gajah Aceh. ($15.75 for 12 ounces)

For over a decade, Meister has lived a double life as both a writer and a coffee professional—though she has yet to figure out which is her Dr. Jekyll side and which Mr. Hyde. Her day job is as a member of the customer support team for Counter Culture Coffee, and she has written and/or edited for The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Slashfood.com, Time Out NY, BUST Magazine, Barista Magazine, and Chickpea Magazine in addition to her work with this fine site. On her own, she blogs about cooking adventures (and misadventures) at The Nervous Cook, and about learning to love the long run at Running While Smiling.

She, her husband, and their dog share a too-small Chelsea apartment that's stuffed to the gills with books, vintage clothes, and a whole lot of tchotchkes.

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